Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Garage goals
Question: I live in a home built in Winnipeg seven years ago. I wish to make my garage a nicer space. I plan on completing the drywall in my attached garage. I really don’t ever plan on heating my garage, although I am running into conflicting information as to whether I should insulate it, or not. The garage is used to park two cars and storage. I plan on living here for quite some time. I wish to do this right the first time. Should I insulate and vapor barrier before drywall?
Look forward to your response, Waverley West Dave.
I have a question about my new garage. I live in Alberta and I just built a 26’ x 30’ detached garage. Do I have to insulate it right away or can I wait until next spring or summer? I do not have a heater in it yet. The walls and ceiling are not insulated yet, it's just a bare-bones structure at the moment. Can it sit like that over the winter?
If I could get answers to these questions, I would really appreciate it.
Thank you, Loraine.
Answer: Insulating and drywalling an unheated garage in our climate, whether attached or detached, is a matter of personal choice and preference. If your choice is to insulate, it must be done properly, in warmer weather if possible, and preferably at least a few seasons after construction to allow the building materials to dry.
Insulation in a garage in our frigid northern area is only critical if it is to be heated, even if only periodically. Leaving a garage with exposed sheathing and trusses on the inside will not create any lasting issues. You may experience some condensation and frost on the inside in very cold weather, but that should be manageable by increasing natural ventilation. If you are not going to add a heat source to your garage, there is not much benefit in adding thermal insulation. It may help hold in some of the temporary heat from a recently pulled in vehicle, but that will quickly abate. Even with an attached garage, some heat and warm air escaping the home, especially through the passage door, will not be retained very long.
Especially with attached garages, but also with detached structures, proper thermal insulation and 6MIL polyethylene sheathing should be installed on all walls prior to any drywall application. The ceiling is not as critical, as long as the attic space above is well ventilated. The reason for this recommendation is to prevent moisture damage caused by condensation in the wall cavity behind the drywall. If the cavity is not completely filled with insulation, and protected from air and water vapour intrusion by the poly sheathing, condensation is almost a certainty.
Drywall is a reasonable air barrier, but that property will mainly serve to prevent some moisture in the cavity from escaping. That can lead to moisture damage and mould growth. Drywall paper easily absorbs moisture and is an excellent growth medium for some types of toxic moulds. So, if there is some condensation or melted frost behind the drywall, it will run down to the bottom wall plate and wet the inside surface of the sheathing. If that does not quickly dry, the surface paper will get wet, providing ideal conditions for mould growth. With repeated wettings, the gypsum core may also be affected and the wall covering will crumble and fall apart. Filling the cavities completely, and then installing plastic sheathing on the inside, will minimize the amount of air that can infiltrate the area from the garage side, preventing condensation, frost, and moisture related issues.
If you don’t want to bother with insulating the garage, but want a more aesthetically pleasing interior, using a different type of wall covering makes sense. Because drywall easily absorbs water, whether it is from puddles on the floor, rain penetration, or from condensation, it is not ideal for use in garages. It is commonly used because of the low cost, easy application, naturally light colour, and ease of painting. The light colour will brighten up an otherwise dull garage space, and may provide a more pleasing interior without any additional work. Regardless, exterior rated sheathing is a much better alternative for the inside walls.
Using exterior plywood or OSB sheathing for the interior walls of your garage makes much more sense for two main reasons. First, both are quite moisture resistant, and will not deteriorate or grow mould unless directly sitting in water for extended periods of time. Because they are made with moisture-resistant adhesives, they can repeatedly become wet for short periods of time without rotting or delaminating. This is ideal for garages where melted snow and ice from vehicles is often present on the floor. The second reason for using wood-based sheathing is the durability. These types of rigid sheathing are very strong and can take quite a beating before the surface becomes damaged. This is in sharp contrast to drywall, which is very easy to puncture with an errant tool, wood plank, or boot. Once the surface of the wall covering is punctured, the air/vapour barrier behind is also compromised, increasing the chances of condensation and moisture issues in the wall cavity. Most wood-based sheathing can also be painted, often with a little more effort than drywall, so aesthetics and surface moisture resistance can also be improved by painting.
Your choice to insulate your garage, if you don’t plan to heat it, is completely discretionary. The interior of the walls may be covered with exterior wood-based sheathing without insulation, but if you choose to insulate, a proper job with complete 6MIL poly is very necessary to prevent condensation, mould growth and moisture damage.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and a Registered Home Inspector (RHI)(cahpi.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Divert coffee grounds from sink drain to garden
Question: Do you think it’s safe to pour coffee grounds into the kitchen sink? Wyatt
Answer: Some professionals say it is OK to dump coffee grounds down the drain if you run enough water to flush them completely out of the plumbing system. However, it takes a lot of water in most houses to rinse them down that far. Chances are you will eventually need to call in a professional plumber to unclog your pipes. A better idea is to add coffee grounds to your potting soil, compost or garden, as plants love coffee grounds.
Question: I heard if you eat a potato sprout, it is poisonous. Is this true or an old wives’ tale? O.J.
Answer: It is true that potato sprouts are poisonous, but a person would need to eat many sprouts to be negatively affected by them. Cut sprouts off before cooking.
Spud advice
• Freeze potatoes. Cut them to the preferred size. Blanch and drain. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and freeze potatoes in a single layer. Store in an airtight container for up to six months.
• Freeze leftover mashed potatoes or add them to soups or stews.
Question: I inherited a leather couch. Unfortunately, the owners had a few cats. How can I cover up the scratches? Leonard
Answer: Scratches become less noticeable if shoe polish is colour-matched and applied to leather. However, be aware that shoe polish might transfer to fabrics if guests sit on the area that repair. Your best bet is to purchase a leather touch-up kit. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using the kit to achieve the best results.
Question: What should I use to remove the backing of carpet that is stuck on my tile floor? Brent
Answer: Pour hot water onto the foam. Let the water soak for 10 minutes. Scrape with a long-handled ice scraper and remove all the foam.
Question: I recently learned it’s is important to clean a toilet tank. What is the easiest process? Rhonda
Answer: It’s one of those “crappy” jobs that helps maintain the unit. Turn the water off at the base. Flush the toilet to empty the tank. Wipe the inside with a clean rag.
Feedback from Manitobans
Regarding cinnamon buns: I am not a baker, but my goal is to seek out shortcuts to make it look like I put a lot of effort into my cooking and baking. To make cinnamon buns, I buy biscuit dough and unroll it. Then I spread it with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll it up like a jelly roll. Cut it into two-inch slices, and bake. Camilla
Top tips
• Any cloth material that has chewing gum stuck to it can be placed in the freezer. After about an hour, the gum should break off easily.
• If you run out of sour cream, blend cottage cheese as a substitute.
• To speed up the drying process of a damp load of laundry, add a large, dry bath towel to the dryer.
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email to: info@reena.ca. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
Renovation & Design
Popping sounds and odour likely mean microwave is toast
Question: I am hoping that you might have a solution for getting rid of burnt popcorn smell in a microwave. I have tried lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda, and even microwaving meat with a barbeque sauce. If I leave lemon juice and water in it with the door open, it almost disappears. But as soon as I microwave even lemon juice in water, the smoke smell predominates. This smell came while heating up a “bed buddy” which contains grain for use on my sore joints. I have used this item for years heating as the directions say in the microwave on high for three minutes, with never any problem. I am not sure what happened this time, but I heard a pop, and when I got to the microwave, smoke and a terrible smell was coming from the oven. — Kelly
Answer: In order to offer the safest advice available to us, I turned to a microwave manufacturer. I want to share a quote that I took from the General Electric website: “The popping noise is electrical or mechanical in sound, and GE recommends contacting service. If the arcing burned a hole through the cavity wall, the damage is non-repairable. You can continue to safely use the microwave if the hole is equal to or smaller than the hole size that you see on the door screen and additional arcing is not occurring during the cooking cycle. If the hole is larger than this, it is recommended that the microwave be replaced.” Sounds like the smell is coming from the microwave mechanics which is why the odour returns even after the box of the microwave is treated, safety is definitely an issue.
Question: I have an old silver bracelet. It is very tarnished, almost completely black. Is there a way that I can clean it without taking it to a jeweller? Ravneet
Answer: The following tip is unbelievably easy, quick, amazingly effective, and cheap. Line the inside of any small container with crumpled aluminum foil. Pour fairly hot water into the container and sprinkle a generous amount of salt. Place the necklace in the water, on the foil, and within seconds the silver will return to its original shiny colour.
Question: Over the Christmas holiday, my grandchildren drew me a beautiful picture of my garden. The problem is that they used crayon and drew the picture on the wall! Any suggestions for cleaning away the art? Helga
Answer: If you are sure that you want to erase the masterpiece, use baking soda and a dampened, abrasive scrubby green pad, to wash away the flowered creation.
Amazing tips from Alma
When baking cinnamon rolls, use a tin foil pan. Grease the bottom generously with margarine or butter followed by a good sprinkling of brown sugar and cinnamon. Remove from oven when baked and invert immediately. The tin foil pan keeps the sugar from scorching, which so often happens with cinnamon rolls.
If you don’t have a dishwasher, put the lids back on pots and pans immediately after emptying the contents. Residue will not dry on, making cleanup easier.
If you have a freezer running part way empty, freeze water in clean plastic jugs to fill up the space. Once frozen, they require very little hydro and should the power go off, they act as an icebox to keep things frozen. Also, they’re a source of water should there be a disruption in the plumbing.
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
If you have a great suggestion or tip please send an email. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
info@reena.ca
Renovation & Design
Installing backup generator may be a wise choice
Question: I have seen back-up generators installed, on shows like This Old House, for hurricane prone areas, and see company advertisements here. In our climate, and with weather extremes, is this a concern here and what might the steps be to determine critical draw, and therefore appropriate size of a unit for a winter event?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks, James.
Answer: Installation of back-up generators in homes may be a very good idea, in case of a temporary power outage. This is largely dependent on where you live and how prone your home is to weather or disaster related events.
Putting in a temporary electrical generator is quite a common feature in many areas of the world, due to the possibility of a breakdown in supply from the local electric utility. These gasoline or diesel fueled units are typically set up to provide a minimum amount of electrical current to the property, to power only essential components. In colder climates like ours running power to the furnace, in many cases just to run the blower and electronics, may be critical in the frigid winters. This will ensure that enough heat can be constantly circulated to prevent frozen water pipes and for the safety of the occupants. This may be even more essential for snowbirds, who vacate their homes for warmer climates, in the coldest months of the year. If the power supply fails in that situation, with nobody in the home to notice, frozen pipes and fixtures is almost a certainty. That will not only do damage to the plumbing system, but could cause a catastrophic flood should the swollen, damaged pipes thaw before the homeowner’s return.
One main consideration for spending the time and money on installation of an emergency generator is the likelihood of power outages due to extreme weather events. These events are definitely becoming more of a serious threat in many areas, due to climate change. In the last decade, we have witnessed unprecedented weather-related disasters all around the world. Just this past year we have seen drought-related wild fires, followed by record rains and flooding in British Columbia and the west coast of the United States. Also, severe summer-like storms with deadly tornados, in December, in parts of the middle and southern portions of the U.S. All of these temporary events have caused some form or power utility outage and ultimately major property damage, even loss of lives. Back-up generators may not have helped in some of these cases, but could have prevented major property damage in many other situations.
Another major factor to weigh in your decision is the reliability of the current utility in your area. If your home is in a rural or semi-rural area, away from a large urban centre, the chances of temporary power outages are greater. Also, the chances for quick repairs to damaged power lines and other utility components after a major failure is much more unlikely. If you are often away from your home for large portions of the day, or for several days at a time, the requirement for a back-up system is higher. In our area, the public utility, Manitoba Hydro, is very reliable and typically quite quick in repairing any damaged infrastructure.
One reason for the reliability of our system is the fact that more than half of our total Provincial population lives in and around Winnipeg. This allows for an excellent concentration of major Hydro resources within an hour of the majority of homes. So, when a damaging summer thunderstorm occurs, repair personnel and equipment can be quickly deployed to limit any power outages. The downside to this is that remote areas, especially in the northern half of the Province, may have proportionately limited resources should a major problem occur. For this reason, the majority of the homes with emergency power generation systems are often in smaller towns and rural areas more prone to prolonged, weather-related power shortages.
In our area, which is essentially a prehistoric lake bottom topography, we are highly prone to spring flooding. What effects climate change will have on the frequency of these floods is unknown, but larger, more frequent occurrences are not out of the question. Because of this, flood protection for our largest urban centres, and some smaller communities, has been enhanced in the last couple of decades. Regardless, in the last major “Flood of the Century” two of the critical shortages were generators and water pumps. Flooded, rural property owners who had enough of these systems, along with properly built dyke systems, were most of the ones who saves their homes from catastrophe. So, if your home is not located in a flood-protected community, or is in an area prone to spring issues, more the reason to install the back-up power generation system.
Determining the size and type of generator required for your home and property should be left up to professionals, trained to evaluate and install such a system. Many licensed electrical contractors, especially those working in smaller communities, should be able to answer those questions. They should also be hired to do the actual work, to ensure it will work properly during an emergency event, and to make sure it is safe. Proper permits will be required, followed by inspection by the municipality or Hydro, to double-check that your new safety back-up generator is installed by the book and ready when needed.
Installation of a good back-up generator for use in electrical utility power outages, especially during weather-related events, is a wise choice depending on where you live. If your home is in an area known for frequent flooding, severe summer storms, or far from urban infrastructure, the investment in a professionally installed system may be well worth the cost.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and a Registered Home Inspector (RHI)(cahpi.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com